The invention relates to a conveying installation and a method for placing a conveying installation in operation.
Conveying installations consist of a plurality of different components. Numbering amongst these is, in particular, a conveying means, for example an elevator or an escalator. Moreover, a drive for the conveying means and an installation control are provided. Communications and safety components are optionally arranged. A control program is executed in the installation control for control of the conveying installation. The installation control has different functions.
Hitherto, in the case of placing a conveying installation in operation, the control program inclusive of the required drivers and functions was activated by way of parameter settings. These parameter settings are stored in the installation control. Alternatively, these parameter settings are created at the time of configuration at the manufacturer and loaded into the control. It is also possible to input the parameters manually at the installation control in order to thus activate and set the control program for the installation control.
In order to keep the development cost for control programs low, it is conventional to use one control program for one kind of conveying installation. Thus, for example, a common control program is employed for different elevator installation controls. A further common control program is employed for different escalator controls. Elevator installations have to have many different functions. In that case it is not necessary to realize all possible functions in the individual cases of use. However, the control program is also designed for the purpose of being able to control an elevator installation in which all possible functions are realized. As an example of a simple realization of a conveying installation there may be cited a freight elevator moved between only two stories. The control outlay in this case is low. In the case of a passenger elevator in a high-rise building the control outlay is substantially higher. A passenger elevator of that kind has, for example, an elevator call control. In addition, safety circuits are required. Air-conditioning of the elevator cages can optionally be present.
It was thus past practice to use a common control program for a conveying installation regardless of which functions were or were not realized in the conveying installation. Setting of the functions in the control program needed for the individual conveying installation was, as explained above, fixed on the basis of parameters which were either programmed at a manufacturer or had to be manually input when the conveying installation was placed in operation.
Due to the multiplicity of different installation control types with different functions in a conveying installation it is, however, always important to recognize the correct installation control type and activate the correct functions for the respective conveying installation. Installation control types of that kind have different complexity depending on the respective outlay. For example, an installation control for the above-mentioned freight elevator does not have to be in a position of controlling an air-conditioning plant. An installation control for the above-mentioned passenger elevator is, thereagainst, substantially more complex in its functional scope.
The different installation control types can be operated only with the matching control program, wherein the large number of possible functions can lead to erroneous configurations, since there are dependencies between the individual functions in the control program and components of a conveying installation. The presence of numerous functions in the control program and numerous parameters does, however, also require many regulations. These represent sources of error. Thus, a conveying installation in which only a few or no parameters have to be set is a more reliable conveying installation.